The newly-released Waste Strategy will provide direction to the waste management and resource recovery sectors, WasteMINZ chief executive Nic Quilty says.
 

The strategy, which provides a roadmap for the next three decades towards a low-waste, low-emissions society, will include new and more comprehensive waste legislation and investigation into standardised labelling. The announcements yesterday also included standardised kerbside recycling and organic materials collection across the country.

“The waste strategy and initiatives announced today will change the way New Zealanders recycle and dispose of waste, and move the country towards a more circular economy,” Nic said.

“The strategy will provide the waste management, resource recovery sectors and local government with direction and greater certainty on the next steps for New Zealand’s waste infrastructure.

“We’re pleased to see the government has set goals and objectives with timelines so waste operators and local councils can work towards a defined programme of action.”

Nic said many WasteMINZ members had long advocated for some of the initiatives announced today, such as standardised kerbside recycling.

“As it stands, the way each council and region recycles varies, which can be confusing for residents and lead to contamination of recyclable materials.

“Standardised kerbside recycling will require all councils to accept a minimum set of recyclable materials, which will help to reduce household waste to landfill and contamination of recyclable materials and support local councils to educate their communities about how best to recycle.”

WasteMINZ looks forward to working with the Ministry for the Environment on the next steps to implement the waste strategy, Nic said.

“We’re pleased to see that government is committed to working with the waste and resource recovery sector, which includes local government, to develop a waste action and investment plan, as this will need to be carefully considered.”

© Scoop Media